1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power converter including a current sensor and a terminal block.
2. Description of the Related Art
As related art of a power converter which performs power conversion between direct current (DC) power and alternating current (AC) power, a power converter described in JP-A-2009-159767 has been known. FIG. 7 shows this power converter.
As shown in FIG. 7, a power converter 1 includes a power conversion section 95 and a power bus bar 91. The power conversion section 95 has a semiconductor laminated unit and a capacitor 952, where the semiconductor laminated unit 951 is formed by laminating a plurality of semiconductor modules and cooling sections. The power bus bar 91 is electrically connected to a main electrode terminal of the power conversion section 95. This power bus bar 91 is extended from the power conversion section 95 in such a direction that a terminal block 93 is provided.
A terminal portion 92 in which a press-fit nut 921 is fixed is provided on the tip end of the power bus bar 91. The terminal portion 92 is installed in the terminal block 93. This terminal portion 92 is designed so as to be connected to an external terminal of an external device on the terminal block 93.
As shown in FIG. 7, the power converter 9 may further include a current sensor 94 that measures current that flows in the power bus bar 91, in order to improve control accuracy of a power conversion circuit configured by the power conversion section 95.
This current sensor 94 is located around the power bus bar 91. That is, the current sensor 94 is located between the power conversion section 95 and the terminal block 93 in such an extension direction that the power bus bar 91 is extended from the power conversion section 95 to the terminal block 93. Under this condition, a space for arrangement of the current sensor 94 is secured in a case of the power converter 9.
However, the power converter 9 as described above has the following issues.
The current sensor 94 is mounted in the power converter 9. Due to this, the power conversion section 95, the terminal block 93, and the current sensor 94 are arranged in a such a direction that the power bus bar 91 is extended from the power conversion section 95 to the terminal block 93. In this direction, a size of the power converter 9 increases depending on the space for layout of the current sensor 94. That is, a body of the power converter 9 is enlarged in a particular direction. This makes it difficult to downsize the power converter 9, thereby reducing the degree of freedom of equipment layout of the power converter 9.
For example, the power converter 9 is mounted in e.g., an engine compartment of vehicles such as electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles along with other equipment. Thus, there is a limit to the space available for mounting the power converter 9, in connection with layout of other peripheral equipment. Therefore, an enlargement of a body of the power converter 9 in a particular direction adversely impacts mountability on, e.g., vehicle.